Pilanesberg National Park is ideally located just 2h30 minutes from Johannesburg. The 57 000 hectares (140 000 acres) of Pilanesberg National Park are home to some 10 000 animals and the park is now one of the privileged reserves hosting the Big Five and 364 species of bird.

The Pilanesberg National Park, which is situated north west of Johannesburg / Pretoria, is characterized by impressive volcanic mountain forms and rolling savannah grasslands 1300 million years old. These impressive features have created one of the most topographically diverse Reserves to be found in South Africa. A major reason for Pilanesberg’s diversity of animals is that it lies in the transition zone between the arid Kalahari in the west and the Bushveld of the Northwest Province. The seven different habitats at the Pilanesberg attract and cultivate prolific birdlife.

Did You Know?

The creation of Pilanesberg National Park is considered as one of the most ambitious programmes of its kind to be undertaken anywhere in the world. Thanks to Operation Genesis in 1979 to re-introduce long-vanished species to the park involved the game-fencing of the reserve and was the largest relocation of wild animals at the time.

It is considered one of the world’s most incredible geological phenomena as it is the site of one of the largest volcanic complexes of its type in the world. The large alkaline rock ring complex was formed during a massive volcanic eruption 1 200 – 1 300 million years ago with the remnants of the explosion still seen today, despite heavy erosion of landscape, in the remnants of lava flow and angular rock fragments called breccia.

During the 1960s the farms that make up the park, were purchased by the South African government and were used as a settlement area for the Bakubung tribe. After Apartheid was abolished, the land was then handed over to the Bophuthatswana people and thus the only remaining private land is now 3 small sections which are all approximately 3 hectares in size as well as the 608 hectare farm owned by Catherina Clark, a daughter of South Africa’s 4th Prime Minister; Jan Smuts.

Pilanesberg is one of the largest volcanic complexes of its kind in the world. Only one of three alkaline ring volcano’s in the world and ancient, even by geological time scales, this extinct volcano is the most perfect example of an alkaline ring complex. Its rare rock types and structure make it a unique geological feature.